Maze type game

ABSTRACT

A maze-type game on a tiltable game board including rollable playing pieces and playing piece receiving areas at the opposite ends of the game board, characterized by a maze-like path of travel between the playing piece receiving areas with portions of the maze-like path of travel being individually movable during the course of the play of the game.

3,70 ,455 Dec. 19, 1972 United States Patent Meyer v", n a m r e c 7067 50773 3 6 4 302 sq e t .m C 0 Ills s A g m m& C m cm EM H M 1 o A n.m G 0 V nmk u h BMC Y n aw AV$ MmA l] 23 M77 [11 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerTheatrice Brown [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 117,515

AttorneyH0fgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & Mc- Cord [57] ABSTRACT A maze-type game on a tiltable game board including rollable playing pieces and playing piece receiving [52] [51] Int. Cl. 67/14 [58] Field ofSearch......273/110, I08, 109, 112, 113,

273/157 R, 153 R,1l5,116,1l8, 119,126

areas at the opposite ends of the'game board, characterized by a maze-like path of travel between the playing piece receiving areas with portions of the mazelike path of travel being individually movable durin the course of the play of the game.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Claim,

1,154,529 9/1915 Meluzzi ............................273/l26 R 173,824 2/1876 Stevens................................273/l08 4 Drawing Figures FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 584,773 ll/1924 France...........t..................273/l26 R PATENTED nu: 19 I972 INVENTOR 81/970 C. MEYER W [mm tdbwt WM ATTORNEYS MAZE TYPE GAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to game devices and more particularly, to a maze-type game.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Maze-type games are well known and well received in the art. Typically, such games feature a shiftable or tiltable playing surface having a path of travel for a rollable playing piece with the path of travel being relatively complex and having several routes which result only in so-called dead ends, and do not lead to the successful completion of the traversal of the playing piece across the playing surface. Many variations of these games are available in the art. Because the basic concept of these games is well-received and easily understood and capable of enjoyment for persons of diverse age groups, improvements in such games are well-received.

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel maze-type game which features the capability of direct competitive activity by two players and further features means for changing the route of travel of the playing piece during the play of the game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an improved maze-type game wherein themeans defining the path of travel for the playing pieces may be altered or changed during the course or play of the game and, wherein direct competitive activity may ensue during the play of the game.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention, includes a game board having traylike receiving areas at opposite ends and a depending member on the underside thereof so as to mount the board tiltably with respect to a supporting surface. In the area between the tray-like receiving areas there is provided a plurality of individual tile-like elements which have grooves therein for defining a path of travel for a playing piece. Several such tiles are arranged together and may be picked up and repositioned or reoriented so as to change the route of travel from one end of the playing board to the other end of the playing board during the course of the play of the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken generally along the line -2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the route-defining tiles utilized with the game of this invention.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game 10 of this invention includes a tray-like game board generally indicated 12, and related components to be described, and rollable playing pieces 14, here shown in the form of marbles.

The tray-like gameboard 12 includes a bottom 16 having upwardly inclined opposite end portions 16a and 16b and a generally medially depending conical stub 18 affording a supporting point about which the game board 12 may be tilted with respect to a supporting surface 20. The tray is bounded by upstanding wall portions 22, 24, 26 and 28 to define a relatively shallow enclosure.

Spaced inwardly from the opposite end walls 22 and 26 are tray walls 30 and 32, respectively. These walls have a plurality of recesses or notches therein, such as the recesses 30a in wall 30 and recesses 32a in wall 32. The walls 30 and 32 combine with the end walls 22 and 26, respectively, to define playing piece receiving trays 34 and 36, respectively.

The game of this invention further includes a plurality of different tiles 40, 42, 44, 46 and 47. All of the tiles have common characteristics. For example, all of the tiles are preferably regular polyhedrons with side walls and upper surfaces, and, in the illustrated embodiments, are generally rectangular shaped polyhedrons.

As seen, for example, in FIG. 4, with respect to the tile 42, all of the tiles have an upstanding grasping pin or stub 48 on the upper surface 50 and four side walls 52, 54, 56 and 58. Furthermore, all of the tiles have grooves therein defining portions of a maze-like path of travel with the grooves of different tiles running in different course through the tile, but with all of ,the

grooves terminating or opening through a common portion of a side wall, preferably, medially of one of the side walls 52, 54, 56 or 58. By this arrangement, tiles may be arranged in a side-by-side relationship with the grooves of one tile in alignment with the grooves of another tile.

Specifically speaking, tiles 40 have a Y-shaped groove 60 therein which runs from two parallel side walls to a common opening in an intermediate transverse side wall; tiles 42 have a crescent shaped arcuate groove 62 therein which extends between two generally perpendicularly oriented side walls; tiles 44 have a straight groove 64 therethrough which extends through two parallel side walls; tiles 46 have two crescent shaped arcuate grooves 66 and 68, each of which joins two perpendicularly related side walls; and tiles 47 have an intersecting perpendicular groove 67 which opens through all four side walls of the tile. It can be seen that by changing the position of each of the tiles, a continuous path of travel may be created for a playing piece from one end or tray area 34, to the other end or tray area 36, with the final egress of the playing piece being through the notches such as 30a in wall 30 and notches 32a in wall 32.

The game of this invention provides a unique variation in maze-type games wherein a playing piece is intended to traverse a complex path of travel for successful execution of the game. With the maze-type game of this invention, the path of travel for the playing piece may be selectively changed during the course of the game.

46 and either rotate or laterally displace the tile in its row to alter the course of travel for the playing piece. Also, preferably, the game would be played in such a fashion that the tiles could not be picked up if the opponent had picked it up on the previous play or if a playing piece is resting on it. Following displacement of the tile, the player could then tilt the board bypressing down at any given point on the board so as to cause the playing piece to progress in its path of travel. As playing pieces are ultimately successfully advanced to the opposite tray, the player has successfully executed the game and may be credited with a score.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A maze game comprising: a tray having a base with a depending medial stub and a plurality of opposed upstanding side and end walls, inner walls spanning said side walls and being spaced inwardly from said end walls defining a playing piece storage area between each end wall and inner wall and defining a playing area between the inner walls, the underside of said base being upwardly inclined in the playing piece storage area; a plurality of rollable playing pieces for use in said game; and a plurality of movablertiles disposed in said playing area, said tiles having surface depressions therein defining a playing piece path of travel with said tiles and depressions being constructed and arranged for alignment of the depressions of one tile with the depression of another tile for creating a continuous playing piece path of travel between said inner walls.

l l IF t 

1. A maze game comprising: a tray having a base with a depending medial stub and a plurality of opposed upstanding side and end walls, inner walls spanning said side walls and being spaced inwardly from said end walls defining a playing piece storage area between each end wall and inner wall and defining a playing area between the inner walls, the underside of said base being upwardly inclined in the playing piece storage area; a plurality of rollable playing pieces for use in said game; and a plurality of movable tiles disposed in said playing area, said tiles having surface depressions therein defining a playing piece path of travel with said tiles and depressions being constructed and arranged for alignment of the depressions of one tile with the depression of another tile for creating a continuous playing piece path of travel between said inner walls. 